Monday, 24 March 2014

I write to invite you to the Civic
Pre-CodeAthon Brainstorming Session. This event is in preparation for the Civic
CodeAthon, a technology and policy event where data-driven applications that
can scale citizen engagement and institutional reform will be built. For more
information, please visit http://civiccodeathon.com/ for more details.

This
event is a brainstorming session aimed at using data-driven analysis in
improving citizen access and also understanding of government information
related to crime, public safety, justice, security and corruption. Six thematic
areas of focus in developing technology applications and creative approaches to
analysing citizen-held data are expected to be identified from this
brainstorming session.The brainstorming
session is scheduled as follows:

Date:March 26, 2013

Time:10:00am

Venue:Jades Hotel, 24 Ndola Crescent, Wuse Zone
5, Abuja, FCT

We look forward to your kind confirmation
and participation in this event. For more information and to confirm your
participation, please contact Chigozirim Odinkalu (chigozirim.odinkalu@cleen.org, 08137520521) or Oluseun Onigbinde (info@yourbudgit.com, 08185983325).

Wednesday, 19 March 2014

TRAINING ON TOOLS FOR
MONITORING AND ADVOCACY ON SECURITY GOVERNANCE IN WEST
AFRICA

Introduction

The CLEEN
Foundation on behalf of Altus Global Alliance is organising the week long
training for selected civil society representatives from West
Africa on tools for monitoring and advocacy on security
governance. The trainees will be
thirty in all comprising of program officer level staff from civil society
groups involved in conflict management, human rights advocacy, conflicts and
violence prevention, security sector governance reform and demilitarization in West Africa.

Are you a program officer level staff from civil society
groups involved in conflict management, human rights advocacy, conflicts and
violence prevention, security sector governance reform and demilitarization in West Africa? Training on tools for monitoring
and advocacy on security governance in West Africa
at the Altus/CLEEN Foundation office would provide you with rich experience in
this regard.

The weeklong training will be divided into two phases.
Phase one which will cover the first three days will focus on how to assess and
monitor security governance, with emphasis on effectiveness and accountability
of security sector in conflict situations, including issues around Political control,
financial accountability, legal framework for oversight, operational
accountability and performance.

The second phase of the training, which
will last for two days, will dwell on social media tools for mapping early
warning signals and monitoring and disseminating information on security
governance. These include how to set up crowd sourcing and event mapping
platforms using Ushahidi applications; how to use text messaging, Twitter and
Facebook accounts in mobilizing communities to protest unacceptable conduct by
security forces, holding them to account as well as in pressing for vital
reforms within the sector as well as ethical issues in the use of social media
platforms.

Techniques that will be used in the
weeklong training in order to make it experiential will include role-plays,
audio-visuals, breakout assignments and simulation games. At the end of the
training, the trainees will be given certificates of participation by Altus. A virtual network
of NGOs working on security sector governance in West
Africa will be established and supported by social media platforms
and new technology to ensure that participants continue to engage and support
one another in enhancing capacity of CSOs in the region to work on governance
issues within the security sector.

Intending
applicants should possess a minimum of first Degree or its equivalent from any
recognized higher education institution from Ghana,
Liberia, Mali, Niger,
Nigeria and Sierra Leone
with qualifications in the field of human rights, conflict prevention,
management, peace building, social sciences and other related fields.

Purpose of the training

The
training programme is intended to:

-Increase beneficiaries knowledge of
concepts, issues, strategies and good practices in Human Rights monitoring of
security institutions, advocacy and reporting;

-Enhance
their depth in knowledge in governance, security sector reform, conflict
prevention and management, demilitarization in West Africa;

-Network beneficiaries with civil society
actors and other strategic partners in supporting governance, SSR, monitoring
and advocacy activities in West Africa.

-Civil
society organizations that have participated in CLEEN Foundation’s internship
programs and oragnisations working on regional wide issues closely linked to
peace and security within ECOWAS states.

Application Procedure

Interested applicants who meet the above
requirements can download and fill the application form from the website of
CLEEN Foundation (www.cleen.org)
and forward the form with the following documents to the email address masog@cleen.org

-A recent resume

-A cover letter describing the
nature of what the applicant has been engaged in and also areas of interest;

-A recommendation letter from the
organization

The
duration of the training is one week. Every completed application will be valid
for 10days from the date of submission. Candidates need not make fresh
submissions within this period unless there have been significant developments
altering the submitted application. Successful applicants are notified for the
training on or before Monday 31 March, 2014

Financial Aspects

The
Altus/CLEEN Foundation’s training programme on monitoring and advocacy for
security sector governance in West Africa is
on a non-remunerative basis. However, the cost of airfare, accommodation, and
feeding for the period of six days would be provided by Altus for those selected through support from
Ford Foundation. Training materials will also be provided for the selected
persons. However, applicants that need travel and medical insurances will have
to make the arrangements on their own before or on arrival and will bear the
costs.

Thursday, 6 March 2014

Afrobarometer Network, in collaboration with the CLEEN
Foundation, on Wednesday released its most recemt global data on
taxation .
The Round 5 Survey, which covered 29 countries in sub- Sahara Africa
including Nigeria, has the theme: “Africa’s willing taxpayers thwarted
by opaque tax systems and corruption.”
It shows that a majority of Africans see tax generated government
revenue as an important national development resource, but perceived
corruption also plays a role in people’s willingness to pay taxes.
Presenting the survey findings to journalists, civil society groups
and government officials, Rose Aiko, the Director of Research on
Governance and Service Delivery at REPOA Policy Research For
Development in Dar Es Salam, said a sample of 43,500 representing the
views of half of the African population provided answers relating to
taxation in their countries.

The findings show that though majority of the citizens are of the
opinion that paying taxes is important for development , however
majority of citizens who participated in the survey expressed concern
that it is difficult to know how much tax they pay and would like
government to be transparent about how taxes are spent.

The participants also expressed concern over perceived corruption by
tax officials which hinders and prevent taxable citizens from fulfilling
their tax obligation.

“Six in ten people say it is difficult to know how much tax they pay
and a seven in ten do not know how the government spent the taxes”

Further findings shows that two- thirds (66%) of the people
interviewed say citizens pay taxes for their country to develop. A
majority (52%) favours paying higher taxes in exchange for better
services; just one in three (35%) who would give up services in favour
for low taxes.
Also seventy percent say authorities have the right to make people
pay taxes. Across 16 countries, tracked since 2002, this figure has
increased from 64% to 71%. Half (49%) say it is wrong and punishable for
people to avoid paying the taxes they owe the government.

Equally, a large majority report that tax systems remain opaque; 625
say it is difficult to find out what taxes they owe, 76% say it is
difficult to find out how governments use tax revenue.
“The perception that tax officials are corrupt was expressed in 39%of
the respondents saying that “most” or “all” tax officials are corrupt
and another 39% think that at least some of them are. This perceived
corruption among tax officials according to the findings appears to
undermine commitment to the integrity of the tax system. Distrust in the
conduct of tax officials increases tolerance for tax avoidance in
principle and reported non-compliance with tax obligations in practice
the findings have shown.
Carolyn Logan ,a deputy director of Afrobarometer and an assistant
professor at the Michigan state university also participated in the
survey .

The survey shows that mobilization of resources top priority on
Africa’s development agenda however for most countries, the revenue
available from taxes is far less than actual public –sector spending
needs.

“Revenue averaged 24% of gross domestic product from 2000 t0 2010
with a peak performance at 28% in 2008. When compared with the tax
efforts in OECD countries (33.8%), it is clear there is room for
Afr4ican countries to expand tax revenue generation. Reform of domestic
taxation systems has been accorded high priority across the continent
over the past two decades; Afrobarometer findings suggest that Africans
are largely on board; people affirm that national development should be
built on domestic taxation, rather than relying solely on other
sources of revenue , moreover , tax authorities enjoy widespread and
growing legitimacy among African citizens “

“The Afrobarometer findings suggest that government need to improve
the transparency and accountability of revenue authorities if they want
to strengthen the foundations of a sound revenue system.

The finding also suggests that as governments face growing demands
for better services and improved living conditions, there is a need to
aggressively reform tax and public finance drive to improve revenue
collection as top development priorities.

Corruption and vague tax systems have been identified as factors preventing Nigerians and other Africans from paying taxes.

Integrity of tax authorities and officials also thwart citizens in
Africa from paying their taxes which are germane for the development of
the continent.

A survey conducted by Afrobarometer, an international network in
collaboration with CLEEN foundation Nigeria, revealed that from the 29
countries in sub-Saharan Africa comprising Southern, East and West
Africa, there was widespread citizen commitment to the principle of
taxation.

Speaking at the presentation of the survey data in Lagos, Rose Aiko,
Director of Research on Governance and Delivery at Policy Research for
Development, Tanzania, said seven in 10 people found it difficult to
know how the government spends the taxes and that distrust in tax
officials increases tolerance for tax avoidance in principle.

“A majority of 52 per cent across Africa supports taxation provided
it will guarantee more services for the citizens except from Malawi and
Lesotho which have minority.

“Africa region is facing taxation challenge. From the survey,
majority of Africans are willing to pay taxes but are frustrated that
the way governments spend its money is not accessible.

“Integrity of tax authorities and officials is very important. To
enhance tax payment, integrity is vital. Tax payment will help Africa to
have more revenue to develop the continent.

“Mobilisation of resources through taxation is a top priority on
Africa’s development agenda. Many countries have had to rely on foreign
donors to fill the gap.

“As governments face demand for better services and improved living
conditions from growing populations, reform of tax and public finance
systems to improve domestic revenue collection are likely to remain top
development priorities,” she said.

Nengak Daniel Gondyi, Programme Officer of CLEEN, said the survey
data revealed a worrying report that 18 per cent of citizens made
payment to non-state agents, saying, “This should be stopped because it
will be damaging the image of tax officials. The essence of the
presentation is that policy makers can work with and respond to some of
these findings.”